"Hannah Abbott!"

  A girl with rosy cheeks and light blonde pigtails stumbled out of line. She put o with trembling hands and sat down oool.

  After a moment's pause, "HUFFLEPUFF!" the S Hat procimed.

  The table on the right burst into appuse and cheers as they weled their member.

  Hermione couldn't hide her disappoi. The challengi she had imagiurned out to be nothing more than this. Though slightly disheartened, she quickly bounced back - after all, her extensive preparation wouldn't go to waste, even if it wasn't needed for the s.

  She wasn't quite sure how this shabby old hat determiudents' houses. The young witch watched nervously as oudent after another was sorted into different houses, growing increasingly anxious about whether she and Glenn would end up in the same house.

  Sensing Hermioension, Glenn gave her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

  The s process varied for each student, some taking mere seds while others sat for over a minute. As more young wizards and witches found their houses, apanied by waves of appuse from their respective tables, the line of first-years grew steadily shorter.

  "Hermione Granger." Professonagall's voice softened imperceptibly upon seeing the familiar hough iced her slight smile.

  The little girl's posture immediately straightened. "Go on," Glenn withdrew his hand and gave her a gentle nudge forward.

  Clutg Crookshanks, she hurried to the stool.

  "Good evening, Professonagall," Hermione whispered. Magall smiled warmly and personally pced the S Hat on her head.

  After a brief moment uhe girl's tense expression, the hat annous decision.

  "GRYFFINDOR!" As the Gryffindor table erupted in appuse, Hermione's eyes sparkled with delight, clearly pleased with her s.

  With y points still in Glenn's possession, it would be perfect if he could join her house.

  Professonagall's pleasure was even more evident - she had had her eye on this promising student for two years, and finally got her wish. At the staff table, Dumbledore wore a broad smile, while Snape merely let out a derisive snort before shooting a sharp g Glenn and then turning his peing gaze to Harry Potter.

  Harry felt his hair stand on end as a chill ran up his spirange, he thought, scratg his head - the Great Hall was quite warm, yet he felt an inexplicable stare b into him.

  At the Gryffindor table, excited chatter broke out, with the Weasley twins engaging in their characteristiter.

  "Since our Quidditch team hasn't won the House Cup in four years..."

  "...Magall hasn't smiled this brightly..."

  "Could it be..."

  "Could it possibly be?"

  "This little girl is Magall's secret daughter?!"

  Their exaggerated expressions drew ughter from those around them.

  Suddenly, they felt an icy stare pierce through them. Like meical dolls, they turo find Professonagall, her usual stern expression firmly in pce, fixing them with her signature deadly gre.

  "Oh brother, I think we're done for," Fred said mournfully, draping an arm across Gee's shoulders.

  "I agree pletely. We'd better make a run for it right after dinner," Gee replied with monity.

  Professonagall rolled her eyes aurned her attention to the s.

  Meanwhile, Hermione had made her way to the Gryffindor table, Crookshanks still in her arms. After attempting to expin her actual retionship with Professonagall to the Weasley twins - and seeing their plete disbelief - she too rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  "Even the eye-roll is identical!" Gee excimed in feigned shock.

  "We're definitely getting silenced by Magall!" Fred clutched his chest dramatically.

  Hermione chose to ighe theatrical duo, her attention fixed firmly on Glenn's slight figure at the front of the hall.

  Dear God... no, Merlin help...

  Soon enough, it was Glenn's turn.

  He made his way out of line, his e tapping softly against the stone floor as he approached Professonagall amid curious stares. He aowledged her with a polite nod.

  Under Magall's expet gaze, he put on the S Hat. Behind him, Dumbledore sat up straighter in his chair, while Semporarily shifted his focus from Harry back to Glenn.

  All three professors watched him ily.

  For Merlin's sake, let it be Gryffindor (Slytherin)!

  The students below murmured among themselves, clearly puzzled about how a blind student could attend a school of magic.

  Whispers spread through the hall, with particurly nasty sneers emanating from the Slytherin table.

  "SILENCE!" Professonagall's sharp and rang out. Having full knowledge of the situation, she articurly disappointed by her students' rea.

  She cast an apologetice at Glenn, though he remained focused on his s.

  Meanwhile, Glenn seemed pletely ued by the external otion as he engaged in what could only be described as a mental... standoff? with the S Hat.

  S Hat: ...

  Glenn: ?

  S Hat: ...

  Glenn: Are you there?

  A resigned voice echoed in his mind: "Would you kindly lower your Occlumency barriers? I 't see a thing."

  Glenn: ...

  He quietly rexed his mental defenses, allowi information to filter through.

  "Don't pry too much, and keep what you see to yourself. Uood?"

  The S Hat gave a slight tremor.

  "Oh, oh, naturally. Now, let me see.

  Hmm... hmm~

  Your will is extraordinarily strong, you're shrewd, and will use any means necessary to achieve yoals. My, my, that's quite remarkable.

  You know when to advand retreat, how to preserve yourself, extremely level-headed...

  Oh? And what's this? Extreme devotion as well, ah~ but only to family, I see..."

  "You've looked long enough. Make your decision." Glenn released a subtle hint of killing i, urging the hat to clude.

  The hat shuddered, and the voi Glenn's mind vanished. He immediately reinforced his mental barriers.

  The S Hat's rough, slow voice spoke above his head, "Very well, very well, in that case..."

  "SLYTHERIN!" the S Hat decred, seemingly eager to be doh this particur student.

  At the Gryffindor table, Hermio out a disappointed wail, iently squeezing Crookshanks too tightly and causing him to yowl in protest.

  She shot an accusatre at Shinking, "I knew you had ulterior motives regarding Glenn, you despicable man!"

  She bmed everything on Snape, vihere must have been some manipution involved.

  Meanwhile, Shin lips curved into a satisfied smirk.

  At least one promising student had been sorted into Slytherin; otherwise, he would have had some choice words for the old bee in his office.

  Catg Hermione's fierce gre, he retur with a challenging smirk of his own.

  He would thhly enjoy tormenting this little know-it-all who hadn't made it into Slytherin.

  Hermione: !

  Her bushy hair seemed to crackle with indignation as she vinced herself she'd uncovered some grand spiracy.

  How dare they resort to suderhaactics!

  Dumbledore and Magall exged resigned sighs - disappointed but not surprised. They had expected Glenn's ces of being sorted into Slytherin were highest.

  Glenn made his way to ay seat at the Slytherin table, his e guiding his steps as the entire hall watched his progress.

  No one spoke to him, which suited Glenn perfectly fine.

  Shortly after, two burly boys took seats across from him.

  Then Draalfoy was also sorted into Slytherirutted to Glenn's side amid enthusiastic Slytherin cheers aled himself o him.

  "I'm Draalfoy, and I'm sure you've heard of the Malfoy family - yes, that one," Draco turo address Glene Glenn's pin robes and obvious blindness, something about his bearing suggested nobility, and Draco was ined to extend his assistance.

  Glenn responded with a silent nod, prompting Draco to tinue smugly, "Where are you from? I've never heard of the Hawthorne name before. Which side of your family has the magical blood?"

  "I'm Muggle-born," Glenn replied evenly.

  The Slytherins chatting around Draco fell into an immediate, heavy silence, wordlessly shifting away from Glenn's position.

  At the Gryffindor table, Hermione, who had been watg Glenn closely, noticed the sudden ge in atmosphere. Her expression darkened with .

  Having just learned from older students about Slytherin's typical behavior, the young witch grew increasingly worried flenn. Sensing trouble, she began to rise from her seat.

  Draco's smile froze, his expression flickeriweeions. His eyes lingered on Glenn's face, covered by the bck cloth, before he paused briefly, his voice taking on a harsh edge: "So you're a Mud-"

  At that precise moment, a name from the front captured everyone's attention, including Draco's.

  "Harry Potter!"

  "Potter? That Potter?" "Is it THE Harry Potter?" "The Harry Potter who defeated You-Know-Who?"